Thoughts on installation of IR

e34m5 · Post by **e34m5** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 8:41 am

It has been suggested that we package IR more from an installation perspective, perhaps using something like InstallShield or Wyse. As opposed to the way we do it today from a ZIP file.

As part of this the installation would create a default directory structure that could ease some of the issues we have today when users put files all over the place.

The structure would be something like this:

Create an IR directory off the root of C. This would contain all the executables like IR.exe, ExtInstall, IRToWav, etc. To avoid a user not having the necessary executables the installation would load these by default.

Under C:IR we would have subdirectories as follows:

RDF
KM
RM

The RDF directory is where we would direct the users to load the RDF's they need. As today the installation would not pre-load all the RDF's.

The KM and RM directories could be preloaded with the apps or we could just create them and instruct the users where to find the latest copy after the installation is completed.

A big advantage is that it would help the apps because we would have a permanent directory structure to locate items like RDF's.

Any way...throwing this out for comments.....

gfb107 · Post by **gfb107** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 9:26 am

The primary reason we don't package everything together is so that we don't have to re-release everything when one of them is changed.

Also, installers tend to be platform specific.

A common directory structure makes sense to me. There is no need to use an installer just for directory structure. A .zip file can do it too.

If we are going to do something like this, I would suggest a different structure. Let' say that we decided the default base installation directory should be C:\jp1.

In this base directory there would be the following sub-directorties:

bin - the executables (ir.exe, RemoteMaster.jar, keymap-master.xls, any needed dlls or shared libraries, etc.)
help - readmes and help documents
rdf - for the rdfs
upgrades - for device upgrades downloaded or created by RM/KM
config - for remote configurations (saved .ir or .txt files)

e34m5 · Post by **e34m5** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 9:28 am

Works for me...can I see a show hands....

Nils_Ekberg · Post by **Nils_Ekberg** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 9:31 am

Sounds good to me since that I close to what I have anyway.

Post by **ElizabethD** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 9:34 am

I like zip file approach. With a readme file listing what should be installed and where, something like "Here is the dir structure you must have and here is what should be in it ... or else your remote will fry ...".

InstallShield is OK so long as it doesn't get stuck on C: drive. The beauty of the current system - it's always available for a quick look off any network drive, anywhere in the world.

If users (me) want to move things, and you want a known place of things, then something identical to IR's "Set default path to RDF" would do the job.

Wheelie4 · Post by **Wheelie4** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 9:54 am

I prefer a zip file approach also. Couldn't hurt to offer both since some people prefer installer.

e34m5 · Post by **e34m5** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 10:36 am

Ok...with the next release I'll package using zip with the sugested structure.

johann83 · Post by **johann83** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 10:41 am

Well, it could always be one of those self-extracting zip files that lets you specify the "unzip to" location. That way, people who don't want to mess with a zip file can just double click and install, but those of us who want to change the location, can do so (either by entering a new "unzip to" path or by manually unzipping the file.

My $0.02

Matt

e34m5 · Post by **e34m5** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 10:48 am

Exactly

mr_d_p_gumby · Post by **mr_d_p_gumby** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 10:48 am

johann83 wrote:Well, it could always be one of those self-extracting zip files that lets you specify the "unzip to" location. That way, people who don't want to mess with a zip file can just double click and install, but those of us who want to change the location, can do so (either by entering a new "unzip to" path or by manually unzipping the file.

I agree.

Plus the zip file approach still allows each of the apps to be packaged separately and independently. An installer would be overkill since there's no registry entries to set up nor any dlls to register.

Nils_Ekberg · Post by **Nils_Ekberg** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 8:43 am

Based on a few comments/questions this approach was removed from the latest release of IR 5.04 and the RDF and RM Image distribution.

The fundemental problem was that unZIPing the files was creating folders for the common names from whatever folder the user was in at the time. It was set up to run from the root of the drive and either use the folders (jp1, jp1/RM, jp1/KM, jp1/Images, jp1/RDF etc.) if they existed or create them if they didn't.

Is there any value in resurrecting this discussion to find a way that satisfies everyone?

I only bring this up because diagnostics for Extinstall IRto WAV etc. would be much easier if we had a common directory structure.

e34m5 · Post by **e34m5** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 8:49 am

Let sleeping dogs lay....

Nils_Ekberg · Post by **Nils_Ekberg** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 8:57 am

e34m5 wrote:Let sleeping dogs lay....

I'm a dog lover and I like to wake mine up once in awhile to see if they are still alive and kicking

e34m5 · Post by **e34m5** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 8:59 am

Bow Wow

Post by **The Robman** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 9:05 am

Does Winzip allow you the option of not using the built in directory structure? I already have a very sensible directory structure that I'm quite happy with and it's always a drag to have to move all the files around once they've unzipped themselves into folders that I don't need.

Personally, I think IR, KM and RM all need totally seperate folders.

I agree that people should have a master "JP1" type folder for all remote related stuff, but again I don't think we should force the name. I call my folder "a remote files" where the leading "a" forces it to the top of the list in Windows Explorer.

I have a folder for KM upgrades, but it is divided into sub-folders based on device type, just like the folders at Yahoo.